Shadow Hearts II: The Belated Honeymoon
by Tiger5913
Summary: Finally Uploaded Part Five: Their Union She was ready to move forward with him, and finally, it was time for the couple to know each other inside and out, through the most intimate manner... [Kurando x Anastasia]
1. Her Anxiety

12/6/04

Disclaimer: The characters in this fic, such as Kurando, Anastasia, etc. don't belong to me; they are property of Midway, so don't sue! ;.;

Dedications: God, my friends, my cousins, my readers, Beastman for giving me ideas on the title, Aruze for gracing this magnificent RPG with a sequel – despite the ending they chose to go off of – and finally, sudden inspiration for giving me the idea and courage to write this.

Special dedication to A Lifeless Beauty, for being her fantastic self; this fic is a special one for you, darling! :)

**Shadow Hearts II: The Belated Honeymoon**

**Part One: Her Anxiety**

**By Tiger5913**

Night had fallen.

A few hours earlier, a festive wedding had taken place in the small Inugami Village of Japan, and had drawn a considerable audience there due to the pair that was getting married. Most of the spectators were from the groom's side, while only family members and close friends of the bride attended; because of their well-known status, they wanted to avoid drawing too much attention to the event. After a quick, harmless discussion between the two households, the wedding had been decided to go western style; well, the mother of the husband-to-be was interested in seeing a different tradition of the ceremony, anyway. With regards to the married couple, one year had passed since their engagement, and in the present day, the fourth princess of Russia and the young leader of Inugami Village were joined together in matrimony.

Formerly of the Romanov surname, the Russian native was now Anastasia Inugami, and presently, she was sitting on the bedside in the new room that she and her husband had recently been given. Following the tradition of both their families' cultures, she had moved away from her home to live with him and his relatives, which were few in numbers, consisting only of his mother and grandmother. The young bride's family and friends traveled over to see the wedding, but would be leaving the very next day to return to the royal palace in Petrograd, before the citizens of the country could begin to wonder and speculate. Many of the people were currently displeased with the way that the Romanovs were running the Russian government, especially concerning the current world war that was going on, and the tsar and empress wanted their daughter to get married in peace.

At fifteen, Anastasia had changed quite a bit from the younger teenager that she was a year ago; the events that she'd witnessed in the past twelve months had made her come to grips with the seriousness of reality. The brutality of the world war had caused many Russian casualties, and she did her best to console her father when he was feeling down in the darker days, due to the lack of support from his own countrymen. She still laughed and played around some days, enjoying her youthful time, but she had learned when it was appropriate to be mature, while in private, around her close friends and family, she could act like her normal self. Meanwhile, during the entire period of her family's hardship, her fiancé was living in his hometown in Japan, and learning the responsibility and adjusting to his new position of leadership in Inugami Village.

To her knowledge, the two families had initially decided to wait at least a couple of years before the engaged pair would be married, but somehow, even to her surprise, the wedding date had been pushed up. She doubted that her fiancé knew of it until recently, but he was a gentle, complying young man that would willingly adjust to new situations if it was asked of him, so he probably didn't even offer a single word of protest. Before she knew it, her parents and a few close friends had packed light luggage, and the empress presented Anastasia with an exquisite gown, right before telling her that they would soon be leaving for Japan so that she could get married. And what an eventful, overwhelming, and tiring day it had been… but she was happy to see her significant other after a year-long separation, and especially for the purpose of being joined together in such a tremendous occasion.

The wedding reception had ended around the peak of midnight after enjoying much joyous celebration, and the guests went to their rooms to sleep while the wed couple retired to their new chambers in the otherwise-empty house. Family members and fellow companions of the bride and groom went to stay in the homes nearby, and the villagers hospitably welcomed them all, especially tending to their foreign Russian visitors. As she was sitting alone in the bedroom, Anastasia idly passed the time by absentmindedly playing with the tied strings that held her flower-colored yukata together, a thin, Japanese-style robe that women traditionally donned for sleepwear. She was waiting for her spouse to return, who was currently bathing in the bathhouse, cleansing himself before he returned to his wife, and then they would turn in for the night… after validating their marriage.

At the thought of what would happen between them when her husband joined her in bed, the chestnut-haired princess blushed, her cheeks warm and bright pink with natural bashfulness. She wasn't _completely_ ignorant of knowing about the intimacy that a man and a woman shared on their wedding night, but she was still very innocent, only having been informed of scarce details on the concept. A few weeks before the family left their home to travel to Japan for the marriage, the Russian empress had sat down with her daughter and vaguely explained of the duty that would be expected of her, as a bride. At the end of the too-brief conversation, Anastasia was left with many questions, and dared to voice a couple of them to her mother, but instead of receiving answers, the girl was scolded to keep her thoughts proper and not dwell on the subject.

Not one to be discouraged so easily, the brunette teenager privately went around and asked her closest friends for details on the "taboo" topic, but unfortunately, their knowledge was just about as limited as her own. But through a chain of murmured speculations, she had learned what the basic procedures were that went along with the intimate act, and was mortified to hear that she would have to endure a terrible, tearing pain in her first time. Anastasia adored her husband very much and would gladly, very willingly do anything to please him, but inwardly admitted to feeling rather nervous about the supposedly-arduous experience that she would soon have to go through. But despite her anxiety and uncertainties, the princess silently vowed to comply with whatever her darling Kurando wanted to do, even at the cost of her own discomfort, because she trusted him more than anything else.

Just then, the door swung open with barely a whisper, and Kurando Inugami entered the room, wearing a dark blue undershirt and matching-colored slacks, while his hair was visibly still damp from the recent bath. His crimson eyes immediately searched for and located his blushing bride, and he smiled at her in greeting before he walked over to the basket resting against the wall to place his previously-worn clothes inside. That done, the young man turned around to face his wife, and took a long moment to admire her in silence, a bit too tentative to say it aloud, but inwardly noted how beautiful and innocently alluring she looked in her current outfit and pose. Her cheeks colored more deeply when she noticed his blatant, intense stare on her form, and Anastasia ducked her head slightly in response, giving into the rare shy side of her usually-outgoing nature.

"Hello, Anastasia," he initiated quietly, after the bashfulness girl stole a few glances at him, but didn't say anything.

"H-hi, Kurando…" she replied in a soft tone, and then slowly raised her eyes to meet his – her actions were quite a contrast to the energetic and bold behavior that she was used to showing.

"Ready for bed so soon? You must be tired," the samurai commented idly, and ran a hand through his wet hair, tousling it with his fingers in an attempt to dry the strands.

"Just… just a little," she admitted, and since the casual small talk slightly eased the tentative air about her, she was able to grin a bit while mildly griping, "Mother took _so_ long with all those pictures. Heehee, I think she even wore out the photographer…!"

He chuckled at the reminder and nodded in agreement. "Yes, probably… but my mother is also partially responsible for that. She did insist on getting at least a dozen pictures as memento, after all…"

"Oh, your mother… I guess I won't be calling her Saki anymore, huh?" the young bride mused lightheartedly, her eyes shining in delight at the thought of her newly-expanded family.

"He he, I suppose not," he smiled warmly. "Don't worry, she isn't trying to replace your mother, but she wants you to feel welcomed into the family. Just today alone, Mother must've already introduced you and your parents to everyone in the village…"

"I'm not sure, but I definitely met a lot of new people today!" she confirmed with a cute giggle, "Whew, all that rushing around, bowing and shaking hands… just remembering it makes me dizzy."

"Yes, I did the same with your family and friends," Kurando recalled, his smile turning a bit wry, "One of the men – I think his position is a grand duke – has a very strong grip. I almost grimaced when he shook my hand."

"Heehee, be careful next time," she warned him with a small grin.

"I will," he complied, and then raised a hand to cover his mouth when a yawn made its escape. "Ah, excuse me for that. Hm, I guess I'm a little more tired than I thought. Would you mind if we went to sleep now?"

Part of her wondered if he was trying to ease his way into bed so he could ravish her, but a look at his fatigued expression told her otherwise, and she shook her head while assuring, "No, it's okay with me. I need to sleep too; today's been really busy."

"All right then, we can both get our much-needed rest," the dark-haired swordsman confirmed with a slight nod, and strolled over to the bed, stopping at the side opposite his wife to slip his feet out of his indoor pair of sandals. Still inwardly tentative and nervous about the upcoming encounter, Anastasia watched him as he tugged back the bed sheets and sat down on the mattress, then proceeded to slide his legs and lower body underneath the blankets. The observing girl gulped in apprehension when she saw the silent invitation in his crimson eyes after catching his gaze, but she bravely followed suit and joined her spouse in bed, sitting right beside him. Snugly fit under the covers, she remained motionless while wondering what her next course of action would be; should she take the initiative of her wifely duties and undress, or wait for Kurando to give her that command?

"Is… is something wrong, Anastasia…?" her partner inquired after a long moment of silence had settled over the atmosphere.

At the sound of his voice, she snapped to attention and denied fervently in spite of her stiff posture, "O-oh, no, nothing's wrong! S-sorry, I was just… thinking about something, that's all. But I'm starting to feel tired now, so let's go to sleep…"

He raised an eyebrow at her overeager enthusiasm, but she turned to face him with an absolutely innocent smile, so he merely agreed, "…Sure. Well, good night, Anastasia. I hope you'll have pleasant dreams."

"Th-thanks, you too…" the young brunette returned sincerely, and after an adorable flourish, she slid her body along the mattress to lie down on her back, and murmured softly as she closed her eyes, "Good night, Kurando…"

After hearing a hushed sigh emit, she felt brief movement, and then with a quiet click, light vanished to allow darkness to envelop the room, which made Anastasia blink as she tried to adjust her sight. Her husband shifted to lie next to her just then, and the warmth of his body was comforting, albeit foreign, and her acute awareness caused both nervousness and mild, curious excitement to reign over her emotions. Fully alert of her surroundings, she remained still and quiet as she waited for him to initiate the intimate act, but became a little bewildered when a few minutes casually passed on by without any activity from him. At the possibility that nothing might happen after all, she began to relax a bit, when suddenly, the gentle pressure of Kurando's arm was placed upon her abdomen, and then his hold tightened just slightly to secure.

She fought the urge to noise her surprise at his action, and just silently willed her heart to stop beating so fast; he was merely embracing her, and it felt nice to be drawn closely to him, clear evidence of his endearing affections. _Oh, Kurando… I know you'd never hurt me…_

But just then, the mattress beneath her back took a little dip when he changed his position to face her side, and his warm breath fanned her cheek as he whispered softly into her ear, his tone light and questioning, "Anastasia…?"

"Y-yeah?" she stammered in reply, her voice unusually meek.

His next words were hesitant and barely audible in spite of the bold inquiry: "Would it be all right if I… can I kiss you?"

The princess blushed at his request; surely it meant that he intended to start their intimate marital event now… but nevertheless, she was his wife, and she was determined to meet his expectations in hopes of pleasing him. Although, distracted by her shyness, she overlooked the fact that he was asking her permission instead of just doing as he wished; how he must adore and respect her to act like a gentleman toward his own wife. In faithful obedience, Anastasia shifted, turning her body so that the pair was facing each other, and soon, his palm found her cheek, resting upon the surface very gently, as if she was fragile, and needed to be delicately taken care of. Pale moonlight peeked in through the window to shine over his face and illuminated his solemn features in the darkness, allowing her to see the question lingering in his eyes, as well as evident tenderness.

She nodded slightly in answer, and after giving her a small, tentative smile, he moved closer until their lips had met, such light contact that made her wonder if he really intended to claim his marital right on that immediate night. This wasn't their first kiss, but the couple had never moved beyond that step, so she didn't know what lied ahead, and decided to lie back and let her husband guide her along the way from the beginning to end. His mouth brushed against hers gently, and then he nipped at her soft pink pair, which made the girl almost giggle at the ticklish feeling, but doing that would be inappropriate, so she remained submissive and accepted his caresses. In her mind, Anastasia voiced her uncertainties of being unsure of what to do, and didn't even know if she should she kiss him back. Could she touch him, or was he supposed to have full control? Just what exactly was expected of her?

When the baffled bride hesitated too long and it became obvious, Kurando stopped and pulled back, his hand still cupping her cheek, and then he started to open his mouth, apparently intending to ask her something. But she didn't want to give him an answer that would embarrass her, so the brunette leaned forward this time and kissed him, while inwardly hoping that he wouldn't be displeased with such a daring action. Well, he didn't say anything that indicated disapproval, and in fact, scooted even closer to her so that their bodies were pressed together tightly; the proximity startled her, but she forced herself to quickly accommodate. He really wasn't doing anything that severely alarmed her, anyway, and she was a bit curious about what he was going to do, and so she just enjoyed his kisses for the time being, not even flinching when the tip of his tongue came out to gently lick her lips.

As time slipped by unnoticed, dim heat was beginning to course through her slender form from his tender caresses, making the girl dizzy when an unexplainable, yet faintly pleasant yearning suddenly ignited deep within her. Mild anxiety crept back into her when Kurando broke the embrace and lifted the covers to climb over her, and now rested atop her body, but she hardly felt any weight from his lithe form lying upon her. Figuring he must have used his legs as support to spare her the pressure, she smiled at his considerate kindness; maybe there was nothing to worry about, after all, when she had such a caring husband that put her well-being before his own. That thought eased her concerns a bit, and coupled with the distraction of his shadow-covered face hovering above her, Anastasia was able to relax, and her heart merely fluttered when he dipped his head down to kiss her again.

His elbows bent and were tucked by her sides as his hands came down to rest on her shoulders, and the girl truly felt safe in his arms, so she sought to enjoy his embrace, while pushing former worries to the back of her mind. As the kisses grew more fervent, Kurando slid up his arms to draw her upper body closer to him, and no longer held her so delicately, his former precision lost, but she was too entranced and caught up in the moment to feel nervous. Anastasia shivered when his bare palms pressed against her cheeks, hot and domineering with his underlying strength despite the naked contact being an unfamiliar sensation, due to the usual coverage of gloves. She felt small and fragile in contrast to his hidden inner vigor, yet above all else, his presence was comforting, soothing her earlier worries and fears of being hurt by the intimate act; the fire spreading inside her denied the possibility of pain.

She didn't start to feel panicked until his hands had scoured down to the waist of her yukata, and after identifying the secure knot, his nimble fingers went to work, slowly untying the bow that held her attire closed.

**To Be Continued…**

**Author's Note: **And here you have it, the first mature SH:C fic. I honestly didn't think that I'd be the one to write it, considering the fact that I've never written a lemon outside of the Bloody Roar category. Well, this is just the first part, but the rating will definitely climb higher by the end of this little mini-series. And speaking of which, I would like to ask the opinions of you readers again, this time on how long I should make this mini-series. I can conclude this with just one more part, or I can really flesh out the plot with four more parts. So in other words, vote for one more part if you're a pervert, and vote for four if you're a romantic. XP Please let me know which one you guys would prefer, and most especially A Lifeless Beauty, since this mini-series is written for, and specially dedicated to her. All right then, thank you for reading, and please leave a review! :)

BTW, I haven't forgotten the last poll. I'm just brainstorming ideas for the story that was chosen, and hopefully, I'll get it written by next week, after evil finals are over. Wish me luck – I'm sure gonna need it, heh. :P

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


	2. His Patience

**Part Two: His Patience**

He felt her tense up immediately.

Right then and there, he knew for certain that she wasn't ready to proceed to such an intense level of intimacy, and the young man slowly began to withdraw his hands from the front of her yukata. Being careful not to startle or frighten her any further, Kurando pressed a gentle kiss upon her smooth cheek before he swung his leg over to return back to his side of the bed, leaving the sweet softness of his wife's body. A certain part of him ached in disappointment at his retreat, lamenting for the lost opportunity, but the owner firmly silenced the inner protest and willed his desire to die down, extinguishing the heat of passion. Admittedly, he had absolutely no qualms about being intimate with Anastasia, but his protective, courteous side was a bit stronger, and insisted that he wait until she was comfortable before they took that impacting step together.

His shy bride emitted a small noise of surprise and turned to face him when he settled himself on the mattress and adjusted the blankets to cover both of them, blatant curiosity and bewilderment in her wide green eyes. She looked down at the still-tied bow of her yukata, and brought her own hands there, apparently thinking that he wanted her to undress herself, but she didn't get very far when Kurando quickly caught her arm. He caught her gaze and shook his head slowly, indicating that their consummation wasn't going to occur that night, and he noticed that along with her shaky smile, his wife had visibly relaxed after realizing that the intimate encounter had concluded. Before the samurai could dwell on the subject longer, Anastasia leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, briefly squeezing him in an affectionate hug, and then she pulled back to lie down on the bed.

When she closed her eyes with a perfectly calm and undisturbed expression on her face, the young man knew that he had made the right decision; smiling gently at his companion, he swiftly followed suit and took his place next to her. Well, the recent groom was also slightly relieved to have had a reason to stop – although he wouldn't dare admit that out loud – because of his slight insecurity regarding his inexperience, and how it might affect his wife. Despite the fact that there was a double standard present, in which guys his age should be familiar with the concept of intercourse and have tried it, Kurando wasn't a typical conformer, so his knowledge lacked in that department. Once or twice, his mother tried to discuss the subject with him, but the conversation was usually a bit awkward, and up to the current point, he still only knew very little, although she _had_ told him about a spiritual guide lurking within him.

When the samurai had first acquired his most recent fusion form, Jutendouji, Saki Inugami immediately informed her son that he would have to resist certain wild urges on a constant basis, due to the nature of the ogre being. He willingly followed her instructions, especially when he realized what the spirit wanted… but presently, the fusionist wondered if perhaps he could use the ogre's knowledge to assist him when he and Anastasia became intimate. But it didn't matter right now, for he cared about her feelings far more than his primitive urges, and if he ever deliberately harmed her somehow, either emotionally or physically, he would hate himself for it, hurting the woman that he dearly adored. After witnessing her reaction of anxiety, Kurando resolutely decided to wait and give her however much time she needed to feel comfortable enough to be close around him, and then they could move on from that point.

Present worries resolved, the couple slept peacefully that night.

-----

Kurando was an early riser, and after he awoke and quickly took care of his usual morning rituals, he stepped outside onto the balcony connected to the shared room, and watched the sun steadily climb up over the horizon.

The scenery was calm and beautiful, very suitable to his liking, with crisp morning air entering his lungs, and the only noises coming from birds that were quietly chirping to bring awareness to their presence. There was a slight chill that penetrated the thin material of his nightwear, but he didn't mind; the pleasantries outweighed the discomfort, so he remained in his stationed position, dark eyes scrutinizing every detail. Over in the main gardening area of Inugami Village, the devoted flower-lovers were already up and about, bent down on their knees as they planted fresh new seeds and nurtured them to grow with tender dedication. Out of the corner of his eye, he somehow managed to notice a small patch of azaleas that were planted off to one side of the overall field, and the colors reminded him of the same shades that were on Anastasia's sleepwear yukata.

At the coincidental reminder of his wife, he turned back slightly just then to glance at her slumbering form, and his expression instantly softened at the sight of her enticing beauty in all its natural innocence. She looked very sweet and serene, lying on the bed with her bangs framing her heart-shaped face, and if it hadn't been for his gentlemanly courtesy, Kurando would have taken the unintentional invitation with little hesitation. Her adorable exterior appeared so delicate and harmless that an urge to protect his precious significant other instantly flared up inside him, and made the fusionist clench his fist a bit at the thought of anything ever causing her harm. Of course, as her husband, it was his obvious duty to take care of Anastasia, but in addition, the swordsman felt that ensuring her safety was an important factor of honor, and would serve as proof of his devotion and feelings toward her.

Anastasia, his wife… he was still getting used to the fact that he was now married; from childhood up to present day, he'd been too involved in his training with Naniwa Kawashima to develop any romantic interests. That fateful day when he met the young princess introduced him to a foreign world, and she had made her feelings toward him blatantly obvious, while Kurando himself was still stumbling through the new sensation. His initial casual fondness for her grew over the time that they spent journeying together, and a couple months later, he found out that his mother had arranged an engagement between him and the Russian girl. Soon after, both of their families had met to discuss their future union, and the original plan was to have the two marry when the samurai turned twenty, which was the official coming-of-age in his culture.

But the vicious world war raged on throughout Europe, with Anastasia's birth nation being one of the many countries involved in the fighting, and unfortunately, due to technology drawbacks, Russia suffered the most casualties as of late. That led to the dissatisfaction of numerous countrymen, and the leaders in the royal family worried for their safety when rumors had started of a group planning to overthrow their rule, and would use violence if necessary. Kurando remembered when his mother told him about the dilemma that the Romanovs were facing in their current situation, and the solution that the tsar and empress had come up with in hopes of protecting their youngest daughter. It was already agreed that when he and his fiancée got married, the princess would leave Petrograd to come live in the Inugami Village, so if their union took place sooner, there was a good chance she would be spared from possible bloodshed…

It was possible that Anastasia knew nothing about her family's intention for her well-being, but that was probably best, since she would have very likely refused to leave them if she was aware of the hovering danger. Of course, the tsar and the empress wanted to ensure the safety of all their beloved children, but their youngest daughter had the most convenient escape route with her engagement, so they took care of her situation first. Kurando felt guilty withholding such important information from his wife, but he didn't want her to go rushing back to her hometown and risk exposing the secret plan that her parents had come up with to preserve her life. Saki promised the Romanovs that she would keep quiet about the princess' residency in the small Japanese village, and clearly instructed her son to carry on his leadership duties by himself until the turmoil in Russia had died down enough.

With a sigh at the reminder of his new responsibilities, the young man left the balcony and re-entered the bedroom, flashing a quick glance at his wife before he crossed the space and quietly opened the door to head out. After closing it behind him, he walked through the hallway and descended the stairs, he brought up a mental agenda in his mind, recalling his schedule for the next couple of days, and what preparations he would have to make. Due to the calamitous world war, his duties as a leading protector of his country had increased by a tenfold, and in the past few months, he had to constantly meet with the heads of other nations to discuss alliances. German forces were slowly, but surely spreading the power of their forces throughout Europe as they continued to push their way eastward, which made the inhabitants of the Asian continent grow concerned about being invaded.

Distracted by his thoughts, Kurando absentmindedly wandered into the living room, where he found his mother sitting in a wooden rocking chair, her hands busy with her favorite hobby, creating her personal design of clothing. Now that she had passed on the role of leadership to her offspring, she could live the rest of her days in peace, enjoying her leisure time and finally doing whatever she wished after having devoted so much effort into protecting her countrymen. Wanting to leave her in peace, he quietly strolled toward the kitchen, deciding to cook a meal for his wife to eat when she woke up, but the mere light swish of his indoor sandals caught Saki's keen attention. She lifted her head and saw her son making his way toward the adjacent vicinity, her dark eyes shimmering in appreciation at his selflessness, but she felt a bit astonished that he was awake so early on the morning after his wedding night.

"Oh, Kurando," the widowed woman exclaimed just then in mild surprise, and instantly stopped her sewing. "I didn't think you would awaken so soon. I will go prepare breakfast for you right now. Is Anastasia up yet?"

"Good morning, Mother," he greeted respectfully as he met her eyes, and then shook his head in reply to her question. "No, she's still sleeping. But don't worry about making food; I can take care of it. After all, this is Anastasia's first breakfast as… as…"

"-As an Inugami? As your wife?" Saki idly finished for him as mischievous amusement briefly flickered over her expression, but she nodded in understanding and resumed her activity, inwardly pleased that her son's independent upbringing had taught him how to cook.

Kurando flushed slightly, but said nothing in verbal response and merely began to roam around the cabinets, soon locating a medium-sized pot, which he set down onto the stove, along with a few other packets. When all the materials had been gathered, he got water from the sink and poured inside the pan before turning the knob to ignite small flames, and then he stood by to watch and wait for the cool liquid to boil before he could add in ingredients. He wasn't sure what kind of food Westerners had for breakfast, but Anastasia had eaten Japanese cuisine the night before and seemed to enjoy it, so he figured she wouldn't mind having ordinary miso soup and porridge. There were only a few foods he knew how to cook anyway, since during his stay with the Kawashimas, Naniwa and Yoshiko ate simply, but if his wife really didn't like what he made for her, then he would ask his mother to step in and take over.

While the time passed by, he wondered what the aforementioned woman was doing, and so he curiously called out in question, "What are you making there, Mother? A new kimono for Anastasia? I think she really likes the yukata that you sewed for her."

She laughed softly, delight in her voice as she answered, "Yes, I am sewing a new kimono for my beautiful new daughter, Kurando. But, I'm hoping that by next year, I will be making little outfits for my grandchild…"

"G-grandchild?" The young man stammered with a nervous rumble in his throat at the thought; he and Anastasia hadn't even consummated their marriage yet, and his mother was already thinking about becoming a grandmother by the following year…? "Uh, w-well, we… we'll see…"

Detecting the hesitation in his tone, Saki quirked an eyebrow and paused her sewing to comment, "…You know, I really didn't expect you to be awake so early this morning. The wedding night should be very precious to a man and his wife."

"I…I agree, Mother," he concurred quietly, and then quickly fell silent as his eyes suddenly became intensely interested in gazing at the water inside the pot and watching the tiny bubbles ripple across the surface.

When his hesitation became clear, she set aside her stitching project for the time being and stood up to forge eye-contact with him, feeling a bit concerned about the recently-elevated status of the married couple's relationship. "Is something bothering you, my son?"

Kurando slowly shook his head in denial, but offered no verbal assurance.

A small sigh elicited from the raven-haired woman as she crossed the living room and entered the kitchen, stopping beside her son, and suggested softly, "Why don't you go upstairs and check if Anastasia is awake now? I'm sure she doesn't want her breakfast to be cold. I can finish cooking."

"All right…" he agreed with a wary nod and left the vicinity, his step gradual and tentative.

He strolled up the stairs and through the short hallway with his crimson eyes intensely focused ahead all the while, and his stare finally fell upon the door that stood between him and the bedroom he shared with his wife. The tall wooden frame was shut, and the samurai faintly recalled leaving it closed earlier that morning, so he figured that Anastasia was still sleeping, but decided to go inside and gently rouse her awake for breakfast. Since none of the doors in the house had locks, except for the main entrance – Inugami Village was small and friendly, after all – he turned the knob and pushed inward without a second thought, albeit quietly as to not disturb the resting girl. Kurando stepped into the room with hushed consideration and swept his gaze around to locate the presumably-dozing princess, but his eyes soon widened and his body froze instantly at the stunning sight that greeted him.

Standing in front of a full-length mirror, Anastasia was holding up one of her new Oriental outfits against her petite frame, apparently in the middle of changing, for she currently only donned a pair of virginal white underwear. He noticed how much she had grown in the year-long separation since the two last saw each other, and her new height elevated the top of her head to his chin-level, which made people stop assuming that she was so much younger than him. Her youthful curves stretched on endlessly, and his eyes trailed down the length of her body, eagerly devouring the delicious view of creamy, unblemished skin; dimly, the young man wondered how it would feel underneath his fingers… Part of him – the chivalrous side, no doubt – was telling him to snap out of the daze and leave his wife to her privacy, but despite his earnest, albeit weak attempts, he was too captivated to move, bound by her provocative spell.

Thank goodness she couldn't see him in his current stupor, for her back was turned, and additionally, the structure of reflection was tilted at an upward angle, so the observer frantically willed his legs to move before she turned around. But they refused, and he stood there for a countless period of time, silently watching her scantily-clad form as a burning sensation began to rumble deep down inside him, making Kurando shudder slightly with its influential power. A foreign, lingering urge whispered into his mind sensibly, almost reasonably, that since he was her husband, it was perfectly fine for him to see her naked beauty, even though she obviously wasn't aware of his presence. As blatant proof of that fact, Anastasia leaned forward just then, which caused the kimono in her hands to hang down limply, and the open space in-between bared upper swell her chest, and he glimpsed the shadow of two certain twin mounds…

The hands that he had dangling by his sides clenched into tight fists when the owner inhaled sharply at the enticing sight, and then he released an erratic sigh, the gesture indicating his inner struggle for self-control. The drifting sound caught the girl's attention, and when she whirled around and identified the source, her mouth dropped open to let out a shrill scream, which instantly broke the trance that Kurando was in. His body reacted instantaneously and sent the young swordsman dashing forward to seal her cry with his palm, but that put him remarkably close to his wife, and he felt her small form tense up in response to the proximity. When he looked down to glance at her face, he was briefly tempted to peer even lower, but he resisted the urge, maintaining eye-contact with Anastasia, and he soon saw a sliver of fear shimmering in her bright green irises.

Guilt cut through his senses upon realizing her emotion of fright, and he quickly released his hold on her and then backed away slowly with both hands raised as a sign of surrender, while the girl pulled the kimono up to her chin.

"K-Kurando…?" she rasped shakily, his name spilling out in a nervous stutter.

"I…I'm very sorry-!" The dark-haired fusionist awkwardly stammered his apology as he kept moving in the same direction, eventually bumping into the door, and willingly allowed the thin edge to dig into his spine. "I-I'll get a lock installed on this door right away, I promise!"

Without waiting for the blushing princess to reply, he turned and hastily left the room, pacing down through the hallway with his cheeks flushed from the recent encounter, unsure of how to repair the accidental damage.

_I guess… I guess they don't have changing curtains in Russia,_ Kurando mused vaguely as he descended the stairs and roamed the first level of the house once again, but stayed away from the living room and kitchen to avoid inquisition from his perceptive mother.

His heart pounded at an unusual rate when he remembered looking over the supple body of his beautiful wife, and his mouth suddenly went dry, but he mentally scolded himself for thinking in such a perverted manner. Unknown to him, the eighteen-year-old was at the peak of his sexuality, and he could only tremor in bafflement when a faint desire urged him to go back to their room upstairs and… coax Anastasia into bed. Growing even more flustered, Kurando shook his head firmly and sat down right then and there at the bottom of the stairs as he closed his eyes to meditate, clearing his mind of all thoughts, and eventually calmed his agitation. The craving still lingered deep down inside him, but he could maintain it with self-control, and silently vowed to; she had looked rather scared when she found him staring at her so blatantly, and he wondered if she could ever forgive his intrusion.

During breakfast, Anastasia acted like her normal self and happily chatted with Saki in-between bites, while the young man sat back and listened, speaking rarely, only when one of them had addressed him. Later in the afternoon, he met with his wife privately and apologized again for his action earlier in the morning, to which she responded with a shy nod and the assurance that she knew it was an accident. Seeing the girl behave so timidly, Kurando thought of embracing her in innocent comfort, but she flinched slightly when he approached her, and he sensed it, so he immediately backed off, feeling a bit stung by her reaction. He gently bid her farewell before leaving the room, and then headed for his study to tend to his usual business; his final thought on the issue was the realization that their consummation seemed even further away.

One thing was for certain: from that point forward, until his bashful young wife was ready for intimacy, he would definitely have to keep his distance to protect her from the carnal desire that had just stirred to life within him.

**To Be Continued…**


	3. Her Confusion

**Part Three: Her Confusion**

After two hours of nonstop reading, she wanted a break.

Cementing the decision in her mind, Anastasia exhaled a small sigh of relief and gratefully shut the book, but had to blink a couple of times to chase away the faint spots that began to dance in her view. After her vision had cleared up, she arose from the wooden chair and raised both arms over her head, thoroughly stretching out her muscles, as they were stiff from staying in the same position for such a long time. She emitted a soft, happy noise as she glanced through the window and caught sight of the sunlight splayed throughout the small village, feeling like its beauty was inviting her to go outside and enjoy the rest of the peaceful afternoon. Deciding in a split second to do just that, the vibrant teenager left the stack of textbooks behind on the desk and eagerly left the study room, which was usually inhabited by Kurando, but he was currently away, so she could use it.

Thoughts of refreshment lingering in her mind, Anastasia hurriedly bound down the stairs and headed into the kitchen, immediately making her way to the cabinets to locate and retrieve a sealed bottle of her favorite drink. She unscrewed the top off and raised the tip to her lips, eagerly welcoming the cool liquid that slid down her throat and energized her body; she definitely wouldn't be returning to her books anytime soon, or maybe even for the rest of the day. Before her family and friends had left Inugami Village to return to Russia, her parents had spoken to her and expressed their wishes, hoping that the young princess would continue her studies until she was old enough to attend a university. She had agreed to comply, not wanting her future occupation to be just a housewife, and it seemed as if she was currently on that unwanted path, considering the way things had been going since the wedding between her and the samurai.

A month had passed from that day, and during the time, the girl rarely saw her husband as he was frequently gone to visit foreign countries – he was even on one presently, with Saki accompanying him. The two rarely told the Russian native what had happened while they were away, and in fact, when she had caught a free moment with him, the princess asked her husband about his trips, but his answer was very vague. She wasn't naïve or stupid; Anastasia was fully aware of the volatile war raging throughout Europe, and even though her parents refused to give her details in their letters, she knew that they were deeply disturbed by the disarray. The brunette youth wondered if Kurando went to the other nations as a peacemaking dignitary, but if that was the case, then why would he be so furtive in divulging that kind of information to his own wife? It wasn't like she had anyone to tell.

But then again… she certainly had to admit that he'd been rather distant in the past few weeks, ever since the day he entered their bedroom and by accident, saw her practically naked when she was in the middle of changing. The encounter had been rather embarrassing on both parts, but her husband apologized more than once for his mistake, and had even gotten a lock installed on their door to prevent future mishaps from taking place. After that awkward incident, Kurando had begun to treat her with utmost politeness and gave her plenty of space, and also rarely touched her, as if she was a mere delicate doll that would break at the first sign of conflict. Anastasia didn't want that the least bit; she did feel shy around him the first couple days following her exposure to him, but figured that any avid attempt at modesty around her own spouse was futile, since he was sure to see her naked sooner or later.

Well, by his current behavior, it seemed that the consummation of their marriage was far away over the horizon, for if he didn't dare to invade her personal space, let alone touch her, he certainly wouldn't engage in intimacy with her. In spite of her initial reaction to the concept, it admittedly bothered Anastasia that she and her husband hadn't…_officially_…solidified their marriage yet – after he stopped their first attempt, neither one of them had initiated a second encounter. When she thought about it in present day, the chestnut-haired girl was uncertain of the reason behind his decision to back off, but of course, didn't dare to ask him, as that would surely increase the awkwardness between them. She knew that Kurando was a gentleman by nature, and maybe he'd sensed her hesitation that night and halted the martial act for her sake; still, that wouldn't explain why he had been avoiding all physical contact with her lately.

The young princess wondered why their relationship had already grown so platonic when the two had only been married for a month, and along that path of thinking came the insecure worries: was it something she'd done? Were his present actions her fault? Anastasia wanted his caring self to return; she missed being enveloped in his strong, warm grasp as the couple embraced each other, and listening to the rhythmic pulse of his steady heartbeat when her head was rested against his chest. Her brows furrowed in concentration when she tried to remember the last time they hugged, and her frown deepened a bit as she recalled that it was quite a while ago – perhaps she could approach him when he came back and initiate one. Would he accept the gesture, or turn her away? With few other concerns on her mind due to the amount of leisure time she'd been granted, her mind was often occupied by ponderings on the ambiguity of her relationship with Kurando.

On the bright side of current events, she was quickly adjusting to her life in Inugami Village, as her neighbors were warm and friendly, always promising Saki and Kurando to look after the Russian native while the former two were gone on trips. When the brunette princess wasn't studying, she would usually be out of the house, either crouched somewhere around the main garden to plant flowers there, or running off to explore the nearby forest with her new friends. But in spite of the hospitality, Anastasia found it almost amusing, that although she casually mingled with the other girls and felt just like one of them, the adults treated her with unique respect, and had even linked a title to her name. She wasn't sure if they did that due to her royal occupation – which had been revealed to everyone when her parents attended the wedding – or because she was married to the leader of the village, but the question felt too weird to ask.

A series of loud raps against the front door suddenly startled the girl out of her contemplation, and after taking a minute to collect herself, she rushed over to the entrance, inwardly wondering if a friend was visiting.

She pulled the door open and was quickly faced with one of the young women villagers, Sayori Heida, who immediately cried in a frantic tone, "Master Kurando, Master Kurando! I need your help right away, please-!"

Surprised by the boisterous greeting, Anastasia backed away a bit while habitually raising twin clenched fists to press them against her chest, and then exclaimed in reply, "S-Sayori! What's wrong? Are you in trouble??"

"Oh, L-Lady Anastasia!" she stammered, appearing very flustered as she tilted her head inwardly past the door frame and glanced around the small distance that was granted to her sight. "Where is Master Kurando?"

"Um… well, he and Saki-san aren't back from their trip yet," the princess answered helpfully, using the Japanese honorific in reference to the former Inugami leader as proof of her gained knowledge of the foreign culture. "Maybe I can help you with your problem?"

Apparently only hearing that Kurando and his mother were both absent and missing the offer of assistance, her guest began to turn and leave even as she continued babbling on, "No, that's not good… Shinta can't stay up in that tree forever!"

"Shinta?" Anastasia cocked her head slightly as she tried to mentally place a face with the name, and when she was successful, took a few steps forward, straying away from her new home. "That's your brother, right? Did something bad happen to him?"

Sayori pivoted back around and told the younger girl with fear-filled eyes, "My brother, he's in the Forest of Wind! A monster is attacking him! Oh please, Lady Anastasia, can you save him?! Do you know how to fight??"

The fifteen-year-old youth nodded in immediate agreement, and assured her with a small, albeit warm smile, "Yeah, I do! And I'll help him! Just let me get my stuff, and then we'll go to the forest!"

"O-okay," came the tentative reply, accompanied with an anxious nod.

"Wait here," she commanded gently before running back into the house and immediately dashed up the stairs, knowing full well where to retrieve her mystical weapon and Crests, and hastily headed toward the bedroom she shared with her husband. There was her favorite dark blue coat, lying right on the chair as expected, and Anastasia quickly grabbed that – while hoping that both pockets were still filled with her old supplies – along with her Golden Egg, swiped up from the top of a dresser. That in hand and after throwing her coat on, she sped out of the room and returned down to the first floor, her eyes alit with delighted anticipation, not even plagued with a sliver of fear of the unnamed foes at hand. It'd been a while since she was in a real battle, but the young mage had occasionally practiced casting magic spells in a private corner of the village, for she didn't want to forget her former skills in case she would need them someday. Coincidentally, like today.

"Let's go, Sayori!" The teenage fighter called out as she slammed the door shut behind her.

"Right…!" Sayori agreed, and then together, the two girls proceeded down the stone stairs and sped through the pathway that led to the entrance of the village, their rush stirring mild curiosity in a few bystanders.

As they approached the Forest of Wind, Anastasia turned to her acquaintance and asked in concern, "Do you know if your brother's okay right now? You said a monster was attacking him!"

The young Japanese woman shook her head and panted in full explanation, "N-no, I'm not sure how he's doing… He went into the forest about an hour ago, and I was just outside, looking at some flowers, when I suddenly heard him scream, so I went in to see what was wrong. As soon as I got to where he was, I saw a Tengu chasing him, and then Shinta ran up a tree! I came back to the village to get help, and a few of the men went there to try and fend the monster off, but I don't think they can fight it… My brother's probably still up in that tree…!"

"I think you're right…" she replied grimly, but her expression only showed optimism, and her eyes narrowed just slightly in determination when the duo had just entered the woodsy setting. "But don't worry; I'll chase that huge bird away from Shinta!"

"Th-thank you so much…" – one quick look at the current surroundings – "O-oh, we're almost there…! Please be careful, Lady Anastasia…"

"I'll be fine! But you should stay back and maybe hide somewhere, just in case the monster decides to attack the others," the cheerful girl instructed wisely, and with a nod of confirmation, Sayori was off to take shelter behind a large nearby trunk, while Anastasia continued forward to the battle scene.

She arrived at a small clearing, where a couple of young men were throwing rocks at the big bird monster, and one was even poking it with a stick, while in the tree above their heads, a thin boy, Shinta Heida, clung to a thick branch. He looked down just then and grinned when he caught sight of the princess, who was carefully edging toward the small group with her weapon tightly clutched in hand, her bright green eyes focused on the ferocious Tengu. The aforementioned foe had its attention distracted by the opposing villagers, but it flapped large twin wings and sailed towards one of the men, huge talons baring sharp claws that were ready to deal damage. The targeted man froze for a split second, but when he recomposed himself, he dropped flat on his stomach just before he would have been struck, and felt the wind of attack as the Tengu soared above him, shrieking shrilly.

"Hey! Watch out!" She warned her allies as she swiftly tossed her egg up into the air, and then sent it flying straight at the monster.

Heeding her wise advice, the young men scrambled aside for cover just as the mystical sphere reached its destination and smacked right into the beak of the aerial creature, provoking a high-pitched cry in response. The Tengu reared back a bit from the blow, but Anastasia wasn't finished; she directed her weapon on-course once again for a second hit, and then a third, pushing the adversary and corning it to the nearest tree behind. When the egg returned to her hands, the monster released a piercing holler and surged forward, heading for the girl, its dark-colored feathers bristling as both wings flapped in furious effort, despite riding the wind's smooth current. Her eyes widened a bit at the sudden burst of speed, but the young fighter quickly snapped to attention and dashed off to one side to barely avoid the intended attack, though all the while, her weapon had been hovering before her face in defense.

_Don't these monsters have a lot of stamina?_ She struggled to remember the last time she'd fought a Tengu, which was against a pair of them, but then again, she had also been alongside a couple of her friends that she had traveled with in the previous year. Despite the foes' longstanding vitality, the heroes had emerged victorious from several encounters with the bird creatures, but then again, that was to be expected from a group of four experienced fighters against two mere monsters. Now in the present, the princess was battling the Tengu by herself – since the young villagers hadn't proved to be too helpful – so she had to be more careful, although she **was** confident in her equipment of Crests. When the dark-furred bird turned around to face her, Anastasia decided to use a strong magic spell in hopes of driving it off, and she tried to recall its innate element so she could cast the opposite for the most impacting effect.

_Oh, I wish I had my pictures on me…_ she thought woefully, knowing full well that the monster's information lied in the shots that she'd previously taken, but alas, the girl picked one of her favorite magic spells and used it, "Try this! Hail Crest!"

Out of nowhere, a faint triangular barrier formed over the Tengu and stopped it on the spot; seconds later, a beam of light blue descended down from the sky and crashed right into the target, forcing the monster to fall flat on its back.

_Okay! And now to push it away while it's still down;_ when she spied the aerial creature beginning to stir and arise from its current position, Anastasia carefully lined herself into position before calling forth, "Rock Strike!"

The earth shook slightly and a straight path rumbled through, heading right for the foe; upon reaching the target, an invisible force struck the Tengu fiercely and caused it to fly back, soaring deep into the forest until it was out of sight. When she felt sure that her opponent was gone and wouldn't be returning anytime soon, the chestnut-haired princess released a sigh of relief and averted her attention to Shinta, who was still up in his chosen tree. To let the rescued know that the coast was clear, she called out his name and waved to him, and the boy responded with a happy cry and grinned widely as he quickly climbed down from his spot, using the branches as a ladder. When his feet were steady on the earth again, Sayori left her hiding spot to run toward her younger brother and upon reaching him, she hugged him tightly while the others looked on, pleased expressions on their faces for the siblings' reunion.

Shinta broke away from his sister's embrace and turned his gaze to the Russian girl, appreciation evident on his expression; "Th-thanks, Anastasia! I thought I'd be stuck up there for hours!"

"Aw, nah, you wouldn't have!" she declared with a kind smile and shook her head for further emphasis; after the assurance, she averted her attention to the brave bystanders that had tried to help earlier, "That bird would've left sooner or later! You guys scared off the other one, didn't you?"

"The other one?" Sayori asked as she quirked an eyebrow in surprise, and then addressed her brother, "Were you attacked by two of those Tengu monsters, Shinta?!"

"No… only the one that Anastasia chased away, Sis! Really!" the young boy exclaimed earnestly.

"What other monster are you talking about, Lady Anastasia?" his older sibling inquired in curious confusion.

"Well, it's just that when my friends and I used to fight Tengus, they always showed up in groups of two," Anastasia explained to them, but she giggled softly and continued, "But that was last year! Maybe their habits changed or something…"

"Maybe… but I don't know much about them myself," Sayori admitted with a sheepish look on her face as she glanced over her shoulder at the other villagers; "I don't think any of them do, either. Miss Saki's always told everyone to run away if we ever encountered a monster, especially a Tengu. We don't usually have problems with them, but Shinta was just unlucky today, I guess."

"At least no one got hurt! That's what counts, right?" The princess pointed out optimistically, and then suggested to her fellow companions, "Come on! Let's go back to the village now before that Tengu's friends show up, hehe."

With nods of agreement, the young men started heading for the path that led to Inugami Village, while the siblings and Anastasia followed behind them, eager to return home and feel safe after such an exciting, albeit anxious event.

Just as they were about to leave the forest, the female fighter did a quick check of her equipment and piped up suddenly, "Oh, darn it… wait a second, you guys; I think I dropped one of my Crests behind. I had four in this pocket, but now there's only three…"

"Crests? Is that how you used those magic spells, Anastasia?" Shinta asked her.

"Uh huh!" She answered and beamed a proud grin, but then averted her attention to searching through both of her pockets, trying to find out which one was left back at the scene of the battle; she soon exclaimed, "Ah, my Stolas Crest is missing! That one's got really good curing spells on it… I'm going back to get it. You guys can go ahead to the village if you want."

"I'm not very comfortable with going back into the forest," Sayori confessed with a weak smile of apology at the younger girl, although she did protest, "Oh, but we can't leave you here by yourself, Lady Anastasia!"

"It's okay, I'll be fine!" The chestnut-haired teenager assured the two, her eyes shining mischievously as the tiny wings of her mystical egg hummed quietly in agreement, and then she turned around to reenter to the forest, calling back as she left, "I'll catch up in a little bit!"

"Sis! Let's stay here and wait for her!" She heard Shinta urge his sister.

Anastasia smiled widely at the kind gesture as she returned to the clearing, and once there, she focused on locating her fallen possession; after a few minutes of searching, a glint caught her eye and she quickly ran over to it. She bent down and identified the unknown object, relieved that it was indeed her Stolas Crest, and reclaimed the item, tucking it into her pocket and enclosed inside her fist to prevent another unfortunate incident of loss. She glanced around one last time to make sure nothing else of hers was on the ground, and with that inspection done, the princess began walking back toward the exit, where Sayori and Shinta were probably still standing. Halfway through the path, she slowed her step upon spying a figure nearing the siblings from the direction of Inugami Village; even with the distance between them, she could make out familiar features and guessed that it was her husband.

"Master Kurando! You've returned!" came the greeting just then.

Well, that certainly confirmed her assumption; Anastasia quickly ducked behind the nearest tree, blushing as she remembered the resolution that she made earlier, vowing to surprise Kurando with a hug the next time she saw him… but she certainly couldn't do that in front of the others! How embarrassed they'd both be if she did that… still, she had to welcome him back from his trip, so the girl heaved a sigh and bravely stepped out into view. She started to head toward the trio, although her pace was more gradual this time while her head was lowered slightly, and when she finally did lift her chin up to glance at the others, she caught the sight of fear in their eyes. Confused at their strange expressions, the young brunette stopped in her tracks, which caused her husband to begin sprinting forward as his hand went to his waist and grabbed the handle of his sword, drawing it forth in an instant.

"Anastasia! Watch out!!" The boy yelled aloud in warning.

"Oh, no, Lady Anastasia! Behind you!" His sister called out at the same time.

"Huh…?" She turned around to find out what the others were fretting over, and immediately felt pain as she was struck with bodily force and fell to the ground on her bottom, while her vision was obscured by a blur of dark feathers. Sharp points scratched about her petite form, but she was mostly protected by her thick coat, and the surprise attacker only succeeded in harming her when it raked around her bare legs, easily breaking the fragile skin. A small cry of pain burst free from her lips, and yet the girl stubbornly fought back, struggling against whatever creature was attacking her; she dimly guessed that it was a Tengu, either the same one from before or a 'friend'. Just then, the weight left her body and she quickly scrambled to her knees, desperate to stand up and prepare herself for this new battle, but she suddenly discovered Kurando standing in front of her, facing the creature with his stance steady and calm as usual.

"K-Kurando?" She mumbled quietly and took a small step toward him.

"Anastasia, stay behind me." The command had been spoken quietly, but she detected the steel in his voice, and she was torn between the desire to return the help that he'd given her, or obey his request and stay out of the fight to let him finish it. Also, Anastasia felt a tad surprised that he was unhesitant in coming to her aid so quickly when in the past month, he hadn't seemed to want to even go near her, and now the girl glanced at her husband with slight wonder. His obvious willingness to put her safety before his own… **that** reminded her of his old self, back in the days of their journey, when the princess wasn't surrounded by palace guards, and all she had was her friends for protection. Whenever she'd been in danger then, Kurando was always the first to assist her, fiercely fending off the attacking enemies until she was ready and in position to resume battling; yes, his attentiveness had certainly proved his concern for her.

Even though he hadn't shown affections toward her lately, maybe he didstill care about her… but now wasn't exactly the best time to ask, for the Tengu suddenly gusted forward to strike the first opponent in its path: Kurando.

**To Be Continued…**


	4. His Desire

**Part Four: His Desire**

The battle was over in mere minutes.

Despite his wife's worried gasps breezing by his ears, the young swordsman maintained a reserved composure and only tensed a bit; inwardly, he was preparing himself, determined to emerge victorious from the encounter. The earlier cries of alarm from the Heida siblings were loud enough to rouse the attention of other villagers, and now there was a small crowd watching the fight, wisely keeping their distance, but obviously very interested. When the Tengu was just a few feet shy of reaching its target, Kurando casually lowered his sword to the side and raised his other hand over his head while a deliberate, almost sly look furtively ignited in his crimson eyes. He partially closed his fist until only two fingers were up, and drew the duo down to eye-level as wisps of misty light began to surround his body, signaling his fusion with one of the mystical forms lingering inside him.

When the smoke cleared, he heard a few of the villagers gasping at the sight of his new form standing in place, a wild-looking ogre with a very unique appearance due to his dark skin and a black horn that was sticking up from his head of light purple hair. Intending to end the battle as quickly as possible, Kurando had fused with a mythological spirit named Jutendouji, an ogre warrior that had fierce fighting abilities and whose speed was remarkable, much faster than many other creatures. In addition to that, he also wielded a large sword, which he presently raised before him in firm, sturdy defense as the Tengu approached, and the monster shrieked in aggravation after colliding with the hard barrage. Due to that advantage, the young fusionist recovered first and forcefully shoved the gray-feathered bird away with the blunt of his weapon, and then tightened his grip on the handle before taking a step forward to battle.

It was no contest; as his spectators watched the action in wonder, Jutendouji soon overcame his opponent and left the creature lying on the ground, too bruised and injured from countless lacerations to survive for much longer. Excited cheers and praise rang around the winner as he regarded the fallen monster with caution, wanting to make sure it was down for good before he could declare the battle over and avert his attention elsewhere. When he nodded in assurance that the foe was dead, a few of the villagers surrounded the Tengu and murmured amongst themselves, discussing what to do with it – well, the animal was obviously large and could provide food for many. Their leader, in the meantime, stood back and allowed them to solve the small dilemma of their own wills, and was just about to return to his regular human form, when sudden movement surprised him and halted his motion.

Two small arms came from behind and surrounded his waist just then, startling the ogre, and since he wasn't expecting it, he instinctively stiffened while his senses rose up to high alert in apprehensive preparation. As he was reacting so, he felt a puff of breath warm his back, which caused the pale-haired warrior to tense up slightly more, but when he regained his right track of mind, he reasoned that it was merely his wife embracing him. Since his nature was wild and vastly different from civilization's practices, Jutendouji felt bewildered at the unusual contact, but a familiar sensation soon stirred within him, and his fighting intentions were quickly pushed aside. When the hold on him was released, he slowly turned around to face Anastasia, suddenly feeling eager to see her, although the creature was unsure why; his knowledge and perspective wasn't the same as Kurando's in the present form, after all.

He eyed the girl curiously and thoroughly looked her over, quickly noticing her attractive appeal in spite of the heavy clothing that covered her body and left only her legs bared to his sight – he would rather view all of her. At the rather enticing thought, a primal instinct roused to life in him, lingering around a particular nether region, but he was soon distracted by a strange sense of warmth that soothed his form, leaving him slightly bewildered. While it was slowly fading away, he turned his attention to the young brunette and noticed that her eyes were closed while pale blue light enveloped her petite frame, and then to his astonishment, he saw that her wounds were healing! When the young mage opened her eyes and smiled at him, Jutendouji felt surprisingly drawn to her in that instance and he willingly succumbed to the sensation, quickly leaning forward to grasp a firm hold of her arm with his free hand.

"Huh…?!" she gasped in surprise, jolting a bit. "U-um… are you still hurt? Do you need another curing spell? Maybe Arc Cure wasn't strong enough…"

She was speaking, but in a language that the wild creature didn't understand, so her words were meaningless to him; he just drew the girl closer to him and sniffed her curiously, wanting to identify her by that trait. Her scent carried a bit of familiarity, reminding him of the swordsman, who in the current time was allowing himself to get caught up in Jutendouji's exploration, as he was able to look at Anastasia through different eyes. Yet strangely, both were feeling the same thing: a strong endearing attachment to her; although, Kurando's was more affectionate and derived from emotion, while the other one simply wished to fulfill his carnal, physical desires. There was a faint voice informing Jutendouji that the fusionist in charge of the body was very fond of the attractive female standing before him, but from the ogre's perspective, he only knew to recognize her as his woman – his mate.

"K-Kurando? The battle's over… aren't you going to change back?"

At the name reference, he snapped back to his senses and nodded before releasing her and retracting a couple steps as misty light and smoke enveloped his form once again to conceal his transformation in privacy. A few minutes later, the brightness subsided and Kurando emerged as his normal self, and he immediately gazed forward at his wife, so engrossed in her that he barely noticed the noise that suddenly arose around him. Applause and gracious compliments came from the surrounding villagers, and a few went over to him; only then did he seem to realize their presence and the young Inugami leader acknowledged the praise with slight flush on his cheeks. He saw Anastasia lingering quietly in the background and he very much wanted to go next to her, but out of respectful courtesy for his friends and neighbors, he decided to patiently indulge them with his attention for the time being.

"Master Kurando! You were great!"

"That was a magnificent battle!"

"No, I was merely doing my duty," Kurando insisted humbly, and then bowed at the waist to emphasize his point. "As your leader, it's my job to protect everyone in this village." _Especially my… especially Anastasia._

"Wow, you're really strong! Like Anastasia!" Shinta inserted enthusiastically, and the fusionist knew he was referring to the previous encounter, when she saved the young boy from the first Tengu that had attacked.

The dark-haired swordsman smiled at the reminder and snuck a look at his wife out of the corner of his eye. "Thank you. We won, because our hearts were strong."

"Did that wild man come from your fusion power, Master Kurando? Like Miss Saki's Kouenki form?"

The samurai responded to the last question with a simple, modest nod and continued listening to everyone's comments, but some time later, he felt that he'd waited long enough and politely spoke up, "Ah, if you all don't mind, please excuse me…"

The Russian girl looked at him in just then and caught his line of sight, her expression appearing surprised that he had suddenly dismissed the other villagers; he merely gazed back at her, albeit more intensely, meaningfully.

Complying with his request, the crowd parted to let him through and Kurando quickly strode over to his wife, stopping before her with concern clearly in his eyes as he asked her in a gentle tone, "Anastasia, are you all right?"

Her response was a simple nod, and then she returned the caring gesture; "Um, what about you? I saw that Tengu scratch you a few times…"

She was right – he _had_ received a few injuries from the aerial creature, but they were very mild, nothing compared to the numerous red lines that had marred the smooth, delicate surface of her legs before the effects of her curing spell. "Don't worry; I'm fine, thanks to your healing spell. But nonetheless, I'd like to return home and rest for a bit. …Do you want to come as well?"

"Yes… I'll go with you, Kurando," she replied softly.

The dark-haired swordsman pivoted around, and after bidding his friends and neighbors farewell, he started walking away from the clearing, heading down the path that led back to Inugami Village, with Anastasia following closely.

"Aww, that's so sweet!" He heard one of the women remark behind him, and he flushed a little at hearing that, but then he suddenly felt a slender hand slip into his and intertwine with his fingers, to which he turned his head in surprised curiosity, still walking. He was met with a sweet smile from the brunette princess and slight shyness in her bright green eyes, but she grasped his hand firmly, and the young couple gazed at each other for a few minutes before she finally averted her attention to the setting ahead. Because of the domineering reason behind their lack of interaction in the past month, Kurando was relieved that his wife had been the one to break their too-long period of having no physical contact; he missed being around her. The pair idly strolled over to the house together in comfortable silence, enjoying the warmth beaming down from the sun, as well as the privacy – since most of the villagers were still back in the Forest of Wind – and so their pace was rather slow.

When they reached the front porch of their home, the samurai opened the door and made a gesture for his wife to go in first; her cheeks went a little pink at the chivalrous action, but of course, she willingly complied. Once inside, he followed her and they both wandered into the living room, where the Russian princess promptly collapsed onto the couch with a shaky sigh, that noise causing Kurando to sharply glance her way. He walked over and stopped next to the tired girl, slight worry in his expression as he reached out to place his hand on her shoulder; his action made her look up at him curiously, but then she smiled cheerfully to assure him of her well-being. Nodding in silent reply, the samurai retracted his arm and turned his attention to the clock on the wall, and after realizing the late afternoon hour, he remembered that his mother would be returning home in the evening to make dinner.

"So, um, where is your mom?" Anastasia piped up just then, as if reading his thoughts. "Didn't she come back from… the trip… with you?"

"Mother is visiting one of her friends right now, who lives over on the other side of the village," he told her, "She should be back in a couple of hours. Heh, she'll probably have heard about what happened by then."

His spouse blushed cutely at the reminder, but a smile graced her lips as she nodded in agreement.

"Well, in the meantime, I'm going to bathe," he informed her as he turned his head to glance toward the hallway. "I'd like to clean up from our fight in the forest."

"Okay," she replied, and then remarked candidly, "I'll do that too, a little later."

_She must be tired after those battles. _Kurando realized inwardly while he watched her adjust into a comfortable resting position, and suggested caringly as he was leaving, "If you're still feeling fatigued when I come back, I'll brew a pot of botanical tea for you, Anastasia."

He glanced at his younger companion and managed to catch her wide grin of relief, beaming with appreciation as she called to his retreating back in farewell, "That would be great… thanks!"

He nodded and proceeded up the stairs, stopping by the bedroom to retrieve clothes for his bath, and with the little bundle of garments in his arms, he returned back down to the first level and headed out through a side exit. The afternoon sun was slowly slipping away and taking the brightness from the sky in the process of succumbing to the arrival of night, but the small bathing facility was a short distance behind the house and the samurai made his way there with ease. Once at his destination, Kurando slid the screen door shut behind him and flicked on the light before he set his belongings down next to the large tub at the center, and then he went over to draw hot water from the pump. After pouring enough of the steaming liquid into the wooden container, the young man undressed within the privacy of the confined vicinity and stepped into the tub, uttering a sigh of contentment as he submerged himself inside.

The water eagerly enveloped his body upon entry, and he remained seated perfectly still for a few minutes, his eyes quickly closing so the owner could truly enjoy the tranquil environment before he began to cleanse himself. He soon began to bathe, but in spite of the relaxing mood, his mind started to wander and was soon filled with silent thoughts and inquiries regarding his current relationship with the princess, especially concerning the strange encounter earlier that afternoon. He wasn't completely sure what had between her and Jutendouji, since he was only partially aware of the fusion form's actions, but Kurando had definitely felt uneasy after he reverted back and regained control – was it possible that the ogre spirit lusted for his wife? If so, then that would undoubtedly put the fusionist in an odd dilemma; he himself certainly desired Anastasia, but he had sternly vowed to wait for her readiness, and now, there was a possible additional problem… or need, rather; that he had to deal with.

On the positive side, his main worry had finally been eased a bit, for he'd been beginning to wonder if his wife would ever want to be in physical contact with him again, but by her initiative embrace, she seemed to miss him as well. Yet that was just a small step, so he decided not to address the issue of intimacy until she had shown absolutely clear signs that she wanted to be with him that way, although he didn't know how she would actually go about doing that. He had utmost patience when it came to situations that concerned Anastasia, but if she took longer than another month to approach him, then he would have to shatter their barrier himself and seek her out to discuss the matter. The concerned husband hoped that he wouldn't increase the tension of their relationship if he had to somewhat-force her to face the problem, but certainly their marriage couldn't continue in such a frigid, uncomfortable manner.

He continued to bathe in silence, still thinking about the recent events, and after finishing the task, he stood up, shivering briefly from the surrounding cool air, and then reached out for his robe when all of a sudden, his ears caught a soft gasp. His senses instantly becoming alert, the samurai quickly whirled around and took a step back, turning his head to glance around the small facility while his arms were hastily raised, stopping before his chest in a defensive pose. Aside from not having his weapon on-hand, the young man felt a bit vulnerable due to his current state of undress, but just the same, he knew that it was no time to be modest; his eyes continued searching until something peculiar was noticed. The screen door across the room was open only a mere inch or two, but he distinctly remembered shutting it completely closed earlier, and so with that reminder mentally noted, Kurando began to stride toward the suspicious area.

"Who's there?" he demanded sternly, his voice cool and composed, but clearly authoritative.

He heard a faint cry of distress come from the other side, and then shuffling noises soon ensued as the mysterious strange was presumably making an escape, and the dark-haired swordsman momentarily considered giving chase. But because of his present nudity, he decided not to, and instead just went to close the screen door before retracting to drain the water out of the tub, and during that process, he grabbed his clothing, starting to feel quite cold by then. While dressing, he silently wondered who the unknown visitor could have been, since the bathhouse he was currently in belonged exclusively to the Inugami household and under normal circumstances, only his relatives were allowed to use it. After uttering a perplexed sigh, the young village leader quickly checked the room and then switched off the light and left the place, making his way back home under the shadowy veil of the night while paying full attention to his surroundings.

Fortunately, Kurando returned to the house without any trouble or unpleasant encounters, but he still felt bothered by the previous intrusion, and so he went into the living room in search of his wife, partially hoping to talk to her as a distraction. To his surprise, the couch she'd been sitting in earlier was empty and a small frown creased his brows at the discovery, although he then reasoned that she had probably just gone up to rest in their room instead of staying downstairs. He recalled his recent assurance that he would make herbal tea for her upon returning, but he wanted to ensure that she was awake before he did that, and so he proceeded down the hallway, intending to ascend to the second floor. The house was quiet, which led him to presume that his mother was still out at her friend's residence, but she would probably be back soon, and in the meantime, if Anastasia was indeed sleeping, then he would go into his study and look over some paperwork.

"Anastasia?" He called out questioningly when he neared their bedroom, and then accompanied that with a gentle knock on the shut door; there was a lock on it now, but he still wanted to try and prevent future awkward accidents from happening.

"…Kurando?"

Evidently, she was awake; "I'm back. Can I come in?"

"Sure…" came her soft, hesitant-sounding reply.

The young man turned the knob and pushed the tall frame inward to enter, and he found his spouse serenely sitting in bed with a book in her lap, while the lamp next to her was on and helpfully illuminating bright light. When Kurando glanced at her initially, he hadn't noticed anything unusual, but after he placed his clothes into the respective basket and turned to look at her again, he saw a couple of strange features, such as her cheeks appearing oddly flushed. And despite her appearance, the supposedly-reading girl seemed oddly breathless, as if she had been exercising right before his entrance or performing some other activity of the sort, and maybe even running up the stairs in a hurry, perhaps… His suspicions suddenly rose when he caught sight of a small leaf stuck in her hair that resembled those in the shrubs around the bathhouse, and he silently wondered what she had been up to during his absence.

"…You look a little out of breath." He noted with an edge of bewilderment in his voice. _Could the spy have been… Anastasia? No, she doesn't have any reason to do such a thing. But then, why does she appear so flustered…?_

Anastasia seemed startled by his observation, but she kept her head and eyes down facing the book, and he couldn't see her expression, though she did answer in a slightly unsteady voice, "M-maybe it's because I'm still tired…"

The unusual shakiness in her tone caused him to give her a peculiar look, and once again, he felt strongly compelled to know what she was doing before his return, but he trusted her, and wouldn't express disdain unless she was deliberately dishonest with him. "You didn't go outside, or hear anything while I was gone?"

She lifted her head and glanced at him with a split-second grimace that instantly vanished from her face almost as soon as it had appeared, but he could tell without a doubt that she was uneasy with the topic of his inquiries. "N-no."

He casually stepped closer to her and their eyes met; at the new distance, Kurando unmistakably identified the kind of leaf, and it confirmed his suspicions that she had indeed been outside and near the bathhouse, but he gave her one last chance to be truthful. "Are you certain?"

The brunette youth hesitated for a moment, and then she looked away while mumbling, "…Yes."

Disappointed in her response, he shook his head and remarked quietly, "…I've never known you to lie to me, Anastasia."

She turned her head back partially to glance at him and asked, "Wh-what do you mean…?"

He reached over and removed the leaf from her hair, then brought it down before her eyes; she paled at the sight, and instantly scooted backwards on the bed, apparently intent on getting away from him and his penetrating gaze. Her hasty action caused the book to slip out of her lap and fall to the floor with a light thump, but the princess didn't seem aware of that happening, and after she stopped moving, she raised the blanket up to her chin. Kurando frowned slightly at her retreat, a bit mystified at her rash reaction, but he merely cleared his throat and set the leaf on the nightstand before bending to take a seat on the mattress, hoping they could talk now – at least his wife stayed in her current spot. However, when he edged toward her, she visibly flinched and kept her profile facing away from him, but he stubbornly continued going until they were right next to each other and with her opposite side being the wall, she didn't exactly have the option of an easy escape.

But it wasn't his aim or intention to make her feel threatened, and so with a heavy sigh, the samurai initiated gently, "What's happening to us, Anastasia?"

"Uh, I, um… well, I'm not sure," she stammered nervously, and after a brief pause, she finally managed to articulate her plaguing displeasure; "But… I'm wondering why you've been acting so weird lately. It feels like you're… avoiding me."

His frown deepened slightly at the pang of sadness in her tone, but he felt obligated to admit reluctantly, "…You're right."

Surprise flickered over her expression. "I am? You really _were_ avoiding me? …On purpose?"

He nodded slowly.

The corner of her mouth curled into a partial pout as she asked, "But why? Did I do something wrong…?"

"No, it's not your fault at all," he assured her immediately. "I… I was still feeling ashamed about walking in on you that morning, a few weeks ago, so I wanted to give you the space and privacy you deserve."

At his thoughtful consideration, the princess turned to fully face him, her tone completely earnest as she remarked, "Kurando, I think that new lock on the door is good enough… And, and I was a little embarrassed after you left that day, but… I knew it was an accident. You already said you were sorry, remember? You didn't have to avoid me…"

_Yes, but… that wasn't my only reason,_ the young man thought to himself, but out loud and addressing his wife, he didn't tell her the aforementioned; "Forgive me. I know now that it was a poor decision, and I apologize. I won't choose that method anymore, I promise."

"Okay!" She grinned at him with the cheerful agreement, but then a faint blush colored her cheeks as she confessed in a soft tone, "I… I've really missed you when you were gone, Kurando."

Kurando flushed slightly as well, but inwardly, he was very pleased to hear that his yearning in the past month wasn't one-sided, and so he returned her pleasantry with a gentle smile while assuring her adamantly, "The feeling is mutual."

That issue dissolved, the couple sat in tranquility for a while, content with just being together; they were brought back to reality when the sound of door shutting suddenly occurred, coming from downstairs, and then a voice called out, "Kurando, Anastasia?"

"Mother has returned," he stated matter-of-factly, and then with a sliver of reluctance at the thought of leaving, he suggested, "Should we go downstairs now? We can help her prepare dinner. That is, if you're feeling up to it."

"I'm better," the girl assured him with an enthusiastic nod, "I'll sleep after I take a bath. Well, let's go!"

Their decision made, the pair left the bed and headed for the door in unison, but just as Anastasia had her hand on the small round knob, the young man stopped her with a gentle grasp of her arm, and she glanced at him inquiringly. Feeling a bit tentative about the inquiry that he wanted to ask, he spoke lightly, "Anastasia, before we leave… if you don't mind my asking, I have a question for you that might be a little personal."

Her expression looked nervous as if she knew what was coming, but nevertheless, she encouraged him adoringly, "Go ahead."

Even though they had come to an understanding, he still didn't know why his wife had been secretly spying on him earlier, and naturally, he questioned, "…Why were you watching me in the bathhouse? Or rather… why did you decide to do that?"

Her face turned a bit pink and she ducked her head in shy bashfulness before stammering her reply, "Well, I… I, um, kind of wanted to… to see what you… looked like…" she trailed off.

"O-oh." He realized with a start; she wanted to view him in such an intimate, personal manner? With that surprising new knowledge, did it mean that she might soon be ready to consummate their marriage…? It looked that way, but he didn't want to preemptively jump to conclusions, so he merely clarified, "That… so that was your reason? You were… curious?"

"Uh huh, but, um… is it okay? Can I… can I see you like… that? I mean, because we haven't even…"

Her timidity, albeit blatant honesty touched him, and Kurando considered her admission thoughtfully for a few moments, knowing that he had to handle the issue carefully; perhaps if she satisfied her curiosity, then she would feel more comfortable with the idea of intimacy. "…Anastasia."

His spouse slowly lifted her chin and bravely forged eye-contact with him. "Y-yeah?"

He smiled at her fondly, impressed with the strength of her will. "The next time you feel that… curiosity again, you can come to the bathhouse while I'm there and just knock on the panel. I… I will invite you in."

A deeper blush darkened her cheeks, but she gave him a small nod in response, and with that, the couple finally left the room, confident that they had overcome their first conflict; their relationship had begun to mend, and they were sure to be bound together stronger.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. Their Union

**Part Five: Their Union**

A few days later, she made her move.

That little burning curiosity had been dwelling in the back of her mind since her husband gave her the provocative invitation, in which he would let her join him in the bathhouse and look at him… maybe all of him. Just the thought of laying her eyes on his naked body made her shiver slightly, and then occasionally, she would wander over to… bolder, naughty possibilities of what could happen between them while they were alone together. But whenever that occurred, the bashful girl would squeak in embarrassment and immediately chase the wicked thoughts away – after all, what would Kurando think if he knew that she could be lustful and have such desires? She was married and had to act like a modest lady, so whatever her spouse decided, she would go along with him; still, in her own private time, Anastasia could wonder about certain aspects of him, be they proper or not…

Once in a while, when the princess thought about her husband, she would recall the time that she secretly peeked at him, and the memory of what she had seen always made her throat go dry and her heart pound rapidly. She remembered how princely and impressive he had looked in her eyes… lean shoulders that could bear so much weight, strong arms with moderate bulges of his biceps, and his broad, muscular chest that glistened with water… And before she had run away from the bathhouse to escape being detected, the snooping girl happened to catch a glimpse of his private region… saw the part of Kurando that made him a man, masculine and powerful. She knew that he had trained hard to become a samurai and reach the level that he was at today, but she had never seen him in such an intimate manner and didn't expect him to be so well-endowed that he would put her in awe.

Their relationship had improved considerably since their talk those nights ago; Kurando was still occupied with his duties as a diplomat for his country, but whenever he had spare time, he always spent it with her. The daily routine she had of reading and studying were quickly pushed aside so that she could be with him, and the couple usually walked together through the small village's vast gardens, talking about anything and everything. A couple of times, they had even wandered into the forest and practiced simple battle techniques, the samurai improving the speed of his sword skills and the young mage concentrating on the accuracy of hitting targets with – low-leveled – magic spells. Since neither wanted to harm the animals or environment, they went through the work of setting up sturdy cloth figurines filled with thick sand and attacked those; they quickly found out that just like on their journey a year ago, the two worked very well as a team.

He had been especially affectionate toward her lately, seeming as if he wanted to make up for the time they were separated, and his recent shower of attention reassured her that he cared very much about her and their marriage. In the present time, Anastasia was sitting on the bed in their room, nervously knotting together the bow of her yukata as she inwardly prepared herself to go out to the bathhouse and seek her husband. She was currently alone at home, with Saki visiting Nanna for the night – the eldest Inugami family member had moved into her good friend's residence after the young couple's wedding – and Kurando taking his routine bath. If the princess went to her husband and something _were_ to happen, the couple would certainly have all the privacy they needed… the courageous girl had to admit that she _wanted_ to take the opportunity, and also inwardly vowed to accommodate to whatever arose.

Her decision made, she arose from the mattress and left the room to make her way down the stairs, and then headed out of the house, her pace slow and a bit timid as she proceeded toward the private bathing facility. Night was falling outside and darkness covered her, somehow letting her feel secure as though it was shielding her from possible bystanders around, despite the fact that most of the villagers were in their homes by this time. Minutes later, the young princess arrived at her destination and after curiously peering through the thin barrier, she caught the lean silhouette of her husband inside, appearing to be seated in the wooden tub she'd seen before. He was probably completely relaxed and at ease, never thinking that his wife would soon disrupt the peace and approach him; but Anastasia felt that they had waited long enough to consummate their marriage, and so she pressed on, determined.

Stopping at the screen door, she raised her hand to knock on the thin strip of wooden panel beside the entrance, but standing so close to the threshold made her courage suddenly waver, and hesitated reigned over her. With her husband on the other side, bare as the day he was born and filled with a man's virile desires, she somehow got the feeling that what she was about to initiate would lead to more… intimate activities. He would probably hold her very close and give her many kisses, and maybe… maybe he would want to look at her again, but this time at her whole body without anything in the way, like in their previous accidental incident. That possibility made her a little nervous, but then again, it was almost… endearing in a way, for after all, they would be sharing a very private part of themselves with only each other, making the situation rather special.

Even with that assuring thought, Anastasia still swallowed hard as she gazed at the bathhouse and resumed lifting her arm, bringing her knuckles to the wooden surface to knock crisply on it, bringing awareness of her presence. She immediately heard a splash of water and a minute later, the shadowy silhouette of her husband's tall frame approached the screen door from the other side, and the young princess almost stepped back in nervousness. But she stayed, even after he slid the barrier aside and they were standing face-to-face, both blushing slightly; fortunately for the girl's shyness, her spouse was currently dressed in a robe, so that distraction wasn't an issue. As the silence stretched on between them, his dark eyes studied her intensely and she had to fight the urge to look away, feeling quite timid under his attentive gaze, despite the fact that _she_ had approached him.

"…Good evening, Anastasia," he greeted quietly after the long moment passed.

"H-hi, Kurando…" her reply was barely audible, but she seemed composed and ready for the foreign upcoming events that would soon take place.

Kurando gave her a small, reassuring smile and stepped a bit to the side, inviting gently, "Come in…"

Anastasia nodded mutely and obeyed, gingerly entering the bathhouse with a twinge of apprehension tickling her nerves, and then she heard a light swish as her husband slid the screen door shut behind her. With a click of the lock, their privacy was secured and the princess slowly turned around to face him, her cheeks a light shade of pink in nervous anticipation as she silently wondered who would break the awkward silence. She saw that his expression betrayed a little unease, as if he felt uncomfortable in the current situation, but regardless of that distress, he headed for the wooden tub and calmly disrobed, drawing a short gasp from the observing girl. Only his back profile was in her line of sight during the while, and after he quickly finished undressing, he stepped inside the container and rotated to sit down on the opposite end, his crimson eyes now focused on her slender form.

Her face felt so hot that she wouldn't be surprised if she suddenly went up in flames, but the girl bravely stepped forward until she was beside the tub, and then glanced at Kurando with her hands shyly tucked behind her back.

"…Would you like to join me?" he asked suddenly, just as she was trying to think of something to say.

Another bold invitation from him… well, her husband was certainly full of surprises; it took her a moment to recover from the astonishment, and finally, after ignoring the timidity tickling her nerves, she nodded in reply. His eyes widened slightly at her response, as if he didn't expect her to accept, but then a pleased smile creased his lips and he turned his face away to give her privacy as she undressed, ever the gentleman as always. Her gaze concentrated on the floor, the abashed princess untied the knot of her yukata with trembling fingers, and as she slowly shrugged the attire off her shoulders, inwardly felt relieved that her spouse wasn't looking. Left clad in only her underwear, she shivered at the immediate chill that breezed around her body, and so in pursuit of warmth, she quickly stripped to nude and gratefully went into the tub to be engulfed by the heated water.

Kurando averted his attention back to his wife when he felt the ripples that indicating her entrance, but once his line of sight fell upon her face, he had to make the conscious effort to not give into his wicked urges and look lower. Admittedly, he was very curious about her body… but he knew that despite her courageous decision to join him, she was more than a little nervous in the current situation, and he wouldn't dare to make a move at her unease. His smile was kind and assuring as the young man raised his arm and slowly reached his hand toward her to press his palm against her soft cheek, and then his thumb began to gently stroke her smooth surface. Her mild blush deepened, but Anastasia closed her eyes at the contact and enjoyed the simple, sweet gesture of affection; his consideration reminded her of his caring side, and was certainly easing her anxieties quite a bit.

"Are you all right…?"

She gave him a slow nod in reply, and then opened her eyes just to look down as she asked very softly, "C-can I see you…?"

To his dismay, Kurando discovered that he couldn't locate his voice to answer her aloud, so instead, he retracted his arm and moved back a bit, allowing her to have full view of his body, although his features were a little blurred by the water. She gulped nervously as she obliged her curiosity by gazing at him, and quickly found out that he was still as impressive as he had looked the previous time; he appeared deceptively thin, but he was actually fairly well-built. When Anastasia tentatively laid her hand on his chest, he jolted slightly, but nevertheless remained still even as she began to explore the muscular surface, in spite of the desire that had suddenly risen within him. His very aura emitted strength both physically and spiritually, and it amazed the girl how gentle he was with her when he felt so hard and powerful to the touch… she wondered if he would really hurt her during their consummation.

That thought had her suddenly wanting to see his maleness, the part of him that she would have to accept into her when they became intimate, but she wasn't sure if it was okay for her to touch him, and couldn't find the courage to ask. The young princess hesitated briefly, and when her husband glanced at her with a silent question on his face, she gave him a small smile and began to let her hand wander, skimming over the rough plane of his chest. Her touch was light and airy as her fingertips descended along his bare skin and danced across his abdomen, soon delving lower, but as she got closer to his private region, he tensed slightly, both in nervousness and anticipation. When Kurando realized the area she was heading toward, his twin lids quickly slid down as he exhaled a shaky breath, inwardly noting to keep himself in control while Anastasia continued to explore his body to her whims and curiosity.

At her tentative and gentle touch, his flimsy restraint burst like an open dam.

The feel of her soft hands on his sensitive manhood was electrifying and devilishly erotic… and then she just gently squeezed him, which caused his pulse to quicken, and his desire for her grew even stronger. Eyes still closed, he leaned his head back a bit and thoroughly enjoyed her curious exploration, silently absorbing the sensation of her slender fingers slowly trailing along his length, making him harden even more. He almost lurched up when his wife suddenly tightened her grasp on him and at the same time, she lightly rubbed her thumb over his tip; overwhelmed with the foreign pleasure, he barely managed to contain himself from reaching out to grab her. As the young man struggled to steady his breathing, she suddenly added slight pressure and speed to her movement, and as his body tensed from the build-up within, he realized that he had to stop her before he lost control and reacted rashly.

Certain that he had to act soon, Kurando shot out his hand just then and took a firm hold of one of her arms, and then accompanied that with a slow shake of his head, indicating that he wanted her to cease touching him.

Anastasia blushed at the realization and hastily removed her hands from him before backing away toward the other side, and then she turned her gaze down in shameful embarrassment as she mumbled apologetically, "I-I'm sorry… did I hurt you…?"

He took a moment to compose himself, but when he opened his eyes, he was unable to hide the distinct fire of burning need dwelling in his twin crimson depths as he answered her question in a low, but definite tone, "No, you weren't hurting me at all, Anastasia. Quite the opposite, actually…"

She looked up in surprise at hearing that, and the relief in her expression assured him that she understood his meaning, but then she blushed shyly, and her innocent wonder was enticing, drawing him toward her. The young man steadily moved forward until he was on her side of the tub, and then when he raised a hand to cup her cheek, she elicited a small noise and lifted her chin, pursing her lips in expectation of a kiss. Desire surged through him at her action, engulfing his senses, and he gladly accepted her invitation, tipping his head down to meet her lips, heatedly embracing his wife as his body acted of its own accord and insistently pressed against hers. Uttering not a peep, she succumbed willingly and received his domineering heat; she kissed him back and even dared to slip her tongue out to lick him once, quickly, but that was enough to make him groan silently at her growing boldness.

_Anastasia… are you tempting me…?_

As Kurando pressed closer to her, the princess suddenly felt an unfamiliar hardness against her thigh… it was hot and intimate against her bare skin, and she somehow knew that soon, she would be taking that male part inside of her. His hands slid down her sides, drawing a light gasp from the girl when his fingers briefly brushed by the smooth curves of her breasts, and then he settled at her waist, his grip gentle, but dominant. Their heated kisses sent fervent need rushing through his form, and his control wavered a bit when the young man willingly sank into the pleasuring sensation, his hands growing restless with the desire to roam her lovely body. He slowly moved them around her hips to her rear and cupped the duo globes, dimly marveling at how soft she felt all over, although, a reminder lingered in the back of his mind: there were still parts of her he had yet to explore…

But presently, that thought was overpowered by the liquid fire alit in his veins, making his arousal ache with need for his wife, and the inviting heat that emitted from her femininity was just tempting him even more. Her legs were already parted halfway, and if he pushed them open just a bit further, he could have her, right now… his muscles tensed in eager anticipation when Kurando inched closer to her enticing warmth. His grasp on her tightened to secure his hold, but as he positioned himself at her entrance, a small whimper escaped from her just then, and he withdrew slightly to peer down at her face, wondering if something was bothering her. He saw that Anastasia had her eyes closed with a grimace on her expression and he frowned in bewilderment, wanting to soothe her ail; it wasn't until he glanced over her shoulder that he found the source of her discomfort.

"Does that hurt?" he inquired softly, while guilt pricked his conscience when he realized how roughly he had handled her – he was referring to the hard edge of the wooden tub that was digging into her back.

"A-a little…" she confessed in a small voice even as she selflessly accepted the firm pressure of his weight atop her.

Upon hearing that, Kurando immediately removed himself from his wife and scooted backwards to the other side, making sure he gave her enough space and time to recover, as well as cool down his own desires. His body was burning with the desire to be near her again, especially as he slid a glance in her direction, but in spite of the alluring memory lingering in his mind, he clenched his fists in the effort to restrain himself. Despite his inexperienced background, he'd already discovered that passion was such a powerful influence, and if he had been a weak-willed man, he might have taken Anastasia moments ago with little regard to her uncomfortable state. That dark possibility worried him and the young fusionist vowed to be more careful around her, although he did wonder if his once-resolute control had somehow been hindered by the wild ogre spirit embedded within his soul…

"Um… Kurando?"

His train of thought broken, he glanced at the timid brunette and quickly responded, "Yes?"

"Can we… can we go back to our room?" she suggested candidly, a shy smile gracing her lips, "It's… I mean, we'll probably be more comfortable there…"

He hesitated for a second, still concerned about the issue he had been contemplating, but her courageous determination impressed him, and part of him was eager to resume their previous activities, so he nodded in agreement. "All right. Let's go, then."

Anastasia began to rise to her feet, apparently forgetting her current state of nudity, but when the cool air fanned over her bare breasts, she elicited a startled noise and instantly plopped back down onto the wooden bottom. Kurando watched her with a bit of amusement – while furtively appreciating the brief view of her chest – and then he calmly stood up to save her the embarrassment of getting out first, although, he too felt a tad self-conscious at the exposure. Her innocent eyes widened at the sight of his blatant erection right in her view and she quickly turned away with a squeal, blushing furiously; it was one thing to touch him under the veil of water, but **this**… For the first time, the young princess realized just how intimately she and her husband were going to know each other, and she timidly kept her gaze averted as he left the tub, waiting for him to get dressed before she looked his way.

Immediately acknowledging her shyness, and silently admitting his own bashful feelings, Kurando immediately headed for his robe and retrieved it, securely wrapping the cotton material around his body to shield his nudity. That done, he picked up his wife's yukata and brought it over to her; he stopped next to his spouse and extended the attire toward her with one arm, and all the while, he was respectfully facing the opposite direction. She took it from his grasp and arose in the tub, soon leaving the container with a light splash, and then as she hastily dressed herself, once again inwardly expressed her gratitude in having such a caring, considerate husband. After she had covered up, Anastasia turned to gaze at the aforementioned young man, and since he was still looking away, she took a step closer to gently touch his arm in quiet indication that she was ready to leave.

He glanced at her and nodded with a small smile, and then went to drain out the water from the tub before going back to his wife's side; after one last check for their belongings, the couple walked to the exit together. They left the bathhouse and returned to their home, silence between them the whole way as they were each lost in their own thoughts, although both were mulling over the upcoming event – their innocence kept them mystified. Once up in their room, Kurando securely locked the door behind them, and after that, he turned to face his companion, his expression appearing cool and calm as he tried to prevent revealing signs of the slight anticipation rising inside him. Anastasia, on the other hand, was looking at him with her sweet, shining green eyes, and when she curiously glanced down, her cheeks flushed a bit at noticing his arousal via the bulge in his robe, but she felt less nervous than before.

He struggled to think of something to say, wanting to assure his young wife in case she was presently anxious, but as he hesitated, she surprised him by stepping forward and stopping when she was right in front of him. Despite her hands being tucked behind her back in admission of her shyness, Anastasia rose on her tiptoes and candidly pressed her lips to his, giving him a gentle kiss; grateful that she broke the ice, Kurando tenderly returned the gesture. He encircled her shoulders with his arms and pulled the girl closely to him, silently enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together, and soon, the flames of desire rekindled within him, giving rise to an inner instinct to mate. Time ceased to exist as the coupe shared their embrace, exchanging sweet kisses that sent their pulses racing with rising passion, and they were barely aware of moving toward the bed, but subconsciously arrived there nonetheless.

Neither breaking the intimacy, the young man gently laid his wife on the mattress and carefully adjusted his position to relieve her of his weight as he hovered over her petite form, ever-considerate of her comfort and ease over his own. He cradled her face in his palms as he kissed her soft lips, and then suddenly remembering something interesting that she had done earlier, he decided to mirror it and slightly parted his mouth to slip his tongue out. Slowly, he licked over her lips, receiving a small gasp in return, and with her mouth open, he slid his wet muscle inside, tasting her moist heat – this kiss was certainly much more… luscious than the other ones they'd shared before. It was new and completely unfamiliar, but not the least bit unpleasant, and to his surprise, Anastasia soon responded, albeit shyly, even daring to touch his tongue by brushing against it with her own, which caused a low groan to rumble deep in his throat.

A sudden need gripped him just then, and he blocked out his other senses to solely concentrate on what his sly and rather bold urges were persuading him to do; they were previously suppressed, but now could greatly help him in such a delicate situation. Oh yes, the instincts were certainly giving him many possible actions to take, such as the prevailing encouragement of pealing back the folds of the yukata to view the pure, innocent, and bare beauty of his young wife… To **that**, Kurando willingly obeyed and slid his hands down to the front of her waist, where his nimble fingers untied the bow that secured her attire closed, and then he slightly parted it down the middle to place his palms flat upon her bare skin. Anastasia blushed beautifully in the exposed position and began to squirm slightly, but he quickly soothed her with gentle kisses, while a sudden impulse told him that it wasn't a bad idea to rain more kisses upon her… _all_ _over_ _her_.

Reason told him not to come on that strongly just yet, and so he merely bent his head down and ran his tongue along her neck, creating a wet path of heat that glistened upon her creamy skin, clear evidence of his presence. Unused to the sensation, Anastasia shivered at the new contact as a small noise rumbled deep in her throat, indicating her pleasure, and she encouraged her husband by tilting her head to the side, allowing him more access. His hands trembled a bit as they slowly trailed up along the curves of her body, feeling her slight shiver all the while, and Kurando inwardly marveled at how soft and smooth she felt, a blanket of satiny silk under his fingertips. The princess giggled at the unintentional ticklish feeling he was bringing her, and twin bright green eyes sparkled with innocent delight, but her heart fluttered in surprise when his fingers stopped right underneath her bosom.

She looked up and caught his dark eyes, recognizing the question tentatively lingering within them; he was still rather chivalrous despite the fact that she had already given him permission and assurance earlier. But silently, Anastasia thought it was sweet of her husband to be so considerate of her feelings, and because she adored him all the more for such selflessness, she didn't even hesitate to nod, giving him her consent. Heat flared his senses at her silent reply and Kurando willingly indulged his desire for his wife by slowly pulling back the folds of her yukata until they rested by her sides, and her entire frontal profile was bared to his hungry eyes. His first thought was of awe at her raw beauty, her fair and creamy skin that was completely unblemished, absent of scars even in spite of her occasional reckless behavior, but then when his attention averted to her chest, he was captivated.

Her breasts were new and unfamiliar, but a beautiful sight: smooth mounds with rosy twin peaks that enticed his eyes, and the young man silently wondered how they would feel in his hands, yielding under his touch… Succumbing to that curiosity, he gently cupped one and heard her gasp, but it sounded more of surprise rather than displeasure, and so to make sure, he dared to firm his grasp on her breast, just a bit. He felt a nub press into his palm, and intrigued with the response, he lifted his head to cast a brief glance at his wife to see that her eyes were closed, most likely from shyness, since she showed no other signs of resistance. Anastasia apparently still consented, but she seemed to be a bit awkward and embarrassed, so Kurando bent down to kiss her, hoping that it would help ease her tension – or at the very least, distract her from feeling uncomfortable.

"You're trembling…" he soon noticed, murmuring softly against her lips, and then he pulled back a bit, meeting her eyes as he whispered in question, "Are you afraid…?"

She glanced off to the side a bit before replying, "It's just that… I heard it would hurt, when we… when we…"

Due to his inexperience, the young man was unfortunately unacknowledged of that fact, and so after finding out, he hesitated, but soon shook his head with a slight frown, his expression appearing conflicted. "Then… maybe we shouldn't do this."

Her trademark pout creased her pale pink lips at hearing his words, and the princess asked with obvious disappointment in her voice, "You… you don't want me to be your wife…?"

"Of course I do." He replied without hesitation, not bothering to hide the raw emotions underlying his usually-calm tone, and even consciously allowed the dark pools of his irises to reveal the intensity of his devotion to her. "But… I can't stand the thought of hurting you, Anastasia. I… I want to protect you from being hurt by everything and everyone, and if I myself inflicted pain on you…"

Understanding his fears, Anastasia turned back to face her husband and silenced him with a small kiss, and then confessed honestly, albeit shyly, "Kurando… I'm sure I'll be okay. It's probably just a little pain. And I'm not really that worried about it, because… because I want to be your wife."

Warmth flooded him inside at her admission, and a strong emotion for his wife suddenly arose in his heart, but the inexperienced young man had never experienced such a feeling before and couldn't find the words to voice it. He was certain that the powerful wave had been induced by Anastasia the moment she had admitted how much she wanted to be with him, and revealed her bold willingness to cement their relationship. Kurando slowly leaned down to join their lips together, and as his hands gently began to drift down her body once again, he silently hoped that he possessed _some_ kind of natural instincts to guide him through the situation. As if answering his prayer, a certain presence within him stirred to life at the thought, and when the fusionist became aware of it, he hesitated briefly before releasing a bit of his control, allowing himself to be instructed.

Due to his chivalrous nature and reserved upbringing, the young man was admittedly rather naïve when it came to the art of lovemaking, but the dormant ogre spirit in him… he knew how to mate without question. Such a wild creature as that certainly had to possess the carnal knowledge that his owner lacked and currently needed, so the fusionist willingly allowed the inner instincts to guide him, but of course, he was very gentle with his caresses. After hearing her fears bravely confessed into his ear, he sympathized with her concerns, and thoroughly wanted his wife to enjoy the experience, in spite of the belief that a girl's first time was usually very unpleasant. Well, he would definitely try his best to make hers an exception, and so the young man was mindful of his actions, silently intent on finding her areas of pleasure in hopes of easing her worries on the delicate subject of pain.

The longer he caressed her, the more she ached; soon, faint heat began to pool between her thighs and Anastasia awkwardly rubbed her legs together, unsure of how else to respond, or ease the foreign feeling. But her body followed suit with the amorous reaction and grew hot, to the point where she wanted the kimono completely off, yet she still felt partially bashful about being fully nude right in front of her husband. The bath she had shared with Kurando was like a practice session, but this current situation was all-real and final – they were going to cross over the threshold for good, with no chance of ever returning to their old status. She recalled the numerous times that he had assured her earlier, along with his unspoken promise that he would immediately stop if she told him to, and because of his caring consideration, the princess once again felt her adoration for him grow even more.

As Kurando continued to roll her hardened nub between his fingers, once again, he was suddenly compelled to taste her… and this time, he submitted to the urge, lowering his head to take her soft mound into his mouth. Anastasia trembled briefly at the intimate contact of his wet tongue against her skin, and when he slowly licked her sensitive tip, she arched her back in silent response, wanting to be closer to him as he cradled her tenderly. At the thought of his soft touch, her heart swelled with warmth and affection for her darling husband, but then the girl shivered in sensual excitement when he suckled her a bit harder, lavishing her supple breast with ample attention. He gently flicked her nipple with his tongue and she shivered; not to be idle, his hand took care of her other breast and brought a small moan out from her, sending more delightful tingles coursing through her body.

_More…_ That single word silently commanded in his mind, promising much more pleasuring, albeit exotic discoveries, and because he was starving with the curiosity of wanting to discover the rest of her body, he willingly obeyed.

His mouth and hands left her enticing breasts with reluctance, but they certainly enjoyed sliding down the unmarked paths of her smooth skin, feeling new places and leaving no part untouched in the journey. Both partners were learning together during his exploration; Anastasia allowed his actions and offered not a single word of protest, as she also wanted to find out the ritual of lovemaking, this intimate union with her husband. Unknowing that all the while, Kurando was watching her intently for her reaction, she shivered with ticklish feeling as he teased the bare flesh of her stomach, and then jolted when his finger briefly dipped into her bellybutton. Her breath caught in her throat as he drew closer and closer to her most personal region that never known a man's touch; he sensed her hesitation and stopped moving, but when she bravely gave a slight nod of her head, he continued.

His hand slipped down in-between her legs, gently persuading his bashful wife to open to him; despite her reddened cheeks and the sudden increased pace of her heartbeat, Anastasia complied, although she did turn her face away. When she revealed her most private part to him, the young man remained still and simply gazed at the sacred area before his inquisitive eyes, both aroused and intrigued by the exotic sight of her pale pink skin. He tentatively parted the delicate folds and slid a lean finger inside, instantly feeling her wet heat, and as he slowly began to explore, he immediately heard a gasp from his partner at the sharp new sensation. Kurando glanced up, curious to find out her reaction, and saw that her eyes were closed and she had grabbed a fistful of the blanket as her body started to shift restlessly upon the bed. Her reflexive movement was mesmerizing…

Her natural reaction entranced him, held him captive to her spell, and he almost missed noticing that when his thumb absentmindedly brushed over a small nub in her sensitive region, she suddenly jolted. A short burst of warm wetness surrounded his finger just then, and he took acute note of that – by her expression, Anastasia didn't seem to be in pain, so perhaps her response meant that his touching had felt… good? Wanting to find the answer to his silent inquiry, the young man ran his thumb across that little bundle of nerves again, and as he lingered around it, his eyes were fixated on his wife, particularly watching her face for a reaction. Her breath seemed to catch for a second, and then she exhaled shakily; encouraged by her reaction, Kurando peered at the sensitive nub, somehow feeling certain that he could bring her pleasure by… stimulating it… and a slight smile grazed his lips at the thought.

Paying acute attention to her facial expression and noises, he began touching her slowly, gently, his long fingers carefully familiarizing themselves with that special, delicate region of her body that he would soon claim. At his first touch, he felt her legs stiffen with tension, but when he murmured whispers words of assurance, she began to relax and accepted his presence in her private area; still, she couldn't help shivering at his caresses. The more he stroked her small feminine pearl, the more wetness flowed out from between her delicate pink lips, and as her petite body was tightening for a reason unknown to her, Anastasia could only dimly wonder why her breathing was faster. An audible whimper escaped her and caught the attention of her attentive husband, who was still inwardly unsure of what he was doing to her, but he touched her relying on his instincts and her reaction to his exploration.

And then, surprising both partners, she suddenly let out a loud wail as her body thrashed wildly about the bed, flooding his fingers with more of the mysterious fluid that had aided him in betraying her pleasure. With the end of this release, the young princess exhaled shakily and trembled from the aftermath of her blissful inner explosion; meanwhile, Kurando slowly removed his hand from her femininity and patiently sat back, waiting for her to calm down. Watching his wife in the state of ecstasy had made his arousal harden even more, almost to the brink of pain, but he felt a keen sense of satisfaction in knowing that he had given her such rapturous pleasure. And yet, despite his humbleness, the young man fought back the urge to groan from an overwhelming inner desire to take her – no doubt it was influence from his wild and more carnal side – but he was less resistant to the request than before.

For he wanted his beautiful princess to become his wife in the most intimate sense of the word, and he wanted to make that happen now.

Gently cupping her cheek in his palm, he gazed at her intently and whispered in question one last time, "Are you… ready…?"

She didn't reply verbally, but one look into the trust and admiration shining in her eyes told him her answer.

He entered her slowly, letting her virginal muscles stretch to accommodate the new presence, and when he reached resistance, he didn't know what it was, but suddenly realized why a girl's first time would hurt. Kurando cast his young wife a worried look, certain that they couldn't completely join together unless he breached her internal barrier, but to his relief, she smiled sweetly, somehow sensing his uncertainty, and gave him a slight nod. She understood the necessity of pain, and was accepting it so that she could be bound to him… although as he began to move again, guilt pricked at his conscience when he caught discomfort briefly flickering over her expression. The longer he took, the more Anastasia tensed, and he wanted to get the undesirable part done with and past them, so he whispered apologies in her ear and then fully drove into the girl, claiming her maidenhead.

Anastasia bit down on her lip to muffle the cry that threatened to burst free from her lips, but she did have to squeeze her eyes shut at the inner tearing, and one lone streak of tears slid down each of her cheeks. Now she knew why the other girls had squirmed and winced when they were talking about the pain associated with intercourse… it certainly was more than just a mild discomfort, and she wondered how long she would be hurting. But as the young princess lied still and received gentle kisses of adoration from her husband, the pain slowly began to subside, toning down to just a bit of soreness, and she didn't feel so uncomfortable anymore. She soon discovered that she liked having Kurando resting on top of her with his arms enveloping her so tightly… she felt warm, safe, and even… loved, for they were as close together as two people could possibly be.

"Anastasia? Are you all right…?" he inquired worriedly as he lifted his head to glance at his wife, deep concern reflected in his dark eyes.

"Y-yes…" she answered softly, and nodded to further assure him.

Staying sheathed in her warmth was maddeningly rapturous, and carnal instincts were urging him to move… but the young man refused to do so until he was sure that his partner had recovered and was ready to continue. Still, even with that chivalrous vow, he found that it was increasingly difficult for him to refrain from succumbing to his desire, and so he was rather relieved when Anastasia offered him a small, but steady smile. After she gave him her approval, his hands immediately slid down the smooth curve of her sides and stopped at her waist, firming his grip to hold her in place as he carefully withdrew, and then entered her once again. With his sensitive length surrounded by her slick, wet heat, pleasure wracked through him at the acute sensation, and he soon fell into an enticing rhythm, retracting and then diving deeper into her with each thrust.

Receiving his motions, Anastasia lied back and consciously tried to relax her body, discovering that the more she loosened her muscles, the less uncomfortable and sore she felt with her husband filling her so thoroughly. She glanced up at his face just then and saw that his eyes were closed, but nonetheless, he seemed to be avidly concentrating, as there was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, and she merely marveled at the sight. His grasp on her tightened a bit as he held her more securely, seemingly seeking steadiness, and his muscles grew rigid as tension built up inside him, rising toward a peak that was desperate for relief once it reached the top. After a countless period of dancing to the erotic rhythm, her name escaped his lips in a ragged groan when his release came, and a burst of hot wetness warmed her inner nether region, much to the girl's wonder and curiosity.

His energy spent, Kurando had to make a conscious effort not to collapse on his wife, and he carefully pulled out of her before lying down upon the bed, but he stayed close to her side, not wanting to insinuate rejection. When his arm slid around her petite form, the young princess immediately responded by cuddling up to him with a soft, dreamy sigh, and then she closed her eyes to enjoy the simple feeling of his comforting presence. They lay together in mutual silence for some time, each absorbing the impact of the compelling experience they had just shared, and one thing they both quickly realized was the validity of their marriage. After that mute, awkward period of chaotic miscommunication, the couple had overcome their ordeals and strengthened their union, intensifying their affinity. As proof of their dedication to each other, they were truly man and wife now…

-----

The next morning, the front door downstairs quietly swung open as the village's former leader stepped over the threshold and back into her home, her keen eyes quickly sweeping through the area in search of her son and daughter-in-law.

When nothing but silence and stillness met her gaze, she smiled somewhat mischievously and murmured softly to herself, "I think I'd better start knitting more baby clothes."

**The End**

**Author's Note:** Ahh, finally finished! My goodness, it took me a LONG time to get this finished, didn't I? I'm really sorry for the wait, you guys. I just wanted this lemon to be perfect, so I took a long time reading over and revising what I thought needed to be changed… and yet, I'm sure that I still made mistakes and awkward sentences. Sigh… Oh well, I figured you readers had waited long enough for this, so I decided to finally get it finished tonight. I really hope that this chapter was worth the wait…

**With love for my fans,**

**Tiger5913**


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